KARACHI, Jan 9: A meeting held to review the progress made for the establishment of an accident and emergency centre at Civil Hospital Karachi on Wednesday noted that the project might be delayed again if a piece of land needed for it was not vacated by the City District Government Karachi soon.

The meeting, presided over by provincial minister for health Fauzia A. Lari, underscored the need for early execution of the ‘Accident and Emergency Centre and Ancillary Complex’, popularly called trauma centre, at the CHK for an efficient dealing with the increasing number of emergency cases.

Among other things, it was resolved that the CDGK should be persuaded to withdraw from its medical officers’ flats, built on a plot that formed a part of the proposed complex project along Chand Bibi Road, and give it free to the project officials, said a source privy to the meeting.

The accident and emergency centre as well as ancillary services complex was approved by Executive Committee of the National Council in April 2006 at a cost of about Rs1,438 million, but things could not go in the right direction as the location of the plot where the project is to be built was not finalised by the Sindh government till June 2007.

It was on July 25, 2007 that the then Sindh health minister Syed Sardar Ahmad approved the relocation of the ophthalmology and neurosurgery departments of the Civil Hospital Karachi to make way for a multi-storey trauma centre.

Under the plan, which is to be established with funds to be provided equally by the federal and Sindh governments, the first four floors would be reserved for car parking.

Ms Lari was told by the project officials that the trauma centre would be built on an area of about 6,000 square yards to be acquired after dismantling the existing ophthalmology and neuro-surgery departments and acquiring additional land from the CDGK. The covered area of the project will be 337,665 sq yds.

According to a working paper prepared for the meeting, the project director had been appointed in May, 2007, while the consultants for architectural planning, electrical and civil works were appointed about a year back. The relocation of the ophthalmology and neurosurgery wards to the Services Hospital premises is expected to be completed by the end of March.

It was further said that six flats and a bungalow also existed on the proposed project’s plot, stated to be the property of the city government now. The quarters concerned, including the chairman of the CHK BoG, had communicated in writing and in person to the CDGK authorities, including the DCO, about the vacation of the site in question, but no action has yet been taken, said the source.

An official of the CHK told Dawn that there was a need to have a high-level dialogue on the vacation of the plot, involving the Sindh governor and the city nazim, for timely execution of the project.

A health department official said that though the CHK had already moved for winding up its two departments for the construction of the emergency complex, it should not demolish the buildings in question unless the CDGK land was also made available to it for the project. Otherwise, it could prove a big loss if the idea of the project was not fulfilled at the proposed site.

During the meeting, a participant said the complex could be built in some other areas of the city, including Gulistan-i-Jauher or somewhere along the Super Highway. However, the proposal was turned down as the project executers have no plot for the purpose there and necessary works for change in site would consume a lot more time.

Approving the implementation schedule of the project, the minister asked the officials concerned to ensure a timely follow-up of the schedule at the existing site as an inordinate delay had already taken place. You must ensure the establishment of the facilities aimed at providing timely medical aids to patients and accidents victims of Karachi and other parts of the province and adjacent areas in a befitting manner, she remarked.

According to the schedule prepared for the project, tenders for relevant civil and other works would be called in the first week of March, and the works will begin on May 1.

Among others, the provincial health department, Malik Asrar Husssain, CHK BoG chairman Abu Shamim Arif, CHK Medical Superintendent Dr Kaleem Butt, Additional Secretary for Health Manzoor Memon, and Executive Director of the JPMC Dr Rasheed Jooma attended the review meeting.